Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 1877: The Clan’s Decision

“Father! How could you do this!” Kae’ra’s cry echoed across the frozen lands.

Laerdor sighed heavily.

“Kae’ra, you’re still too young to understand this. We are a mighty clan of dragons, but sometimes even that isn’t enough to guarantee complete safety!”

He turned to her as a deep frown crossed his face.

“What choice do you think I had? The Befallen Crown offered us the chance to become their allies, their partners! They gave us the opportunity to become part of their empire!”

Kae’ra’s lips trembled. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Clutch.

Laerdor clenched his fist, pressing it against his forehead.

“You’re not yet capable of understanding such important decisions. Uou don’t yet know how to look to the future. Sooner or later, the Befallen Crown will conquer the entire world. We can’t be their enemies!”

“But… But…” Kae’ra’s voice trembled as her whole body shook. “Why do we have to submit to anyone? We were an independent force! We should have stayed that way!”

“Shut up!” Laerdor exclaimed menacingly. “I did this for us, for you, Kae’ra!”

“W-What?”

Laerdor waved his hand.

“I had a choice: either accept the Befallen Crown’s offer and kill a few Phantoms, or refuse them! You know better than anyone that they don’t take no for an answer! I couldn’t let our clan become enemies of the Befallen Crown, and everyone here would agree with me!”

Step.

Kae’ra stepped back, her eyes filled with panic.

“No… No… This can’t be happening.”

In desperation, she looked around, hoping that one of the members of their clan was on her side.

But… None of the other dragons came to her defense. Many bowed their heads, realizing that it was a difficult decision, but the right one.

Tap.

Laerdor touched Kae’ra’s shoulder.

“Kae’ra, look at me.”

“Agh… Agh… Agh…” Kae’ra was breathing heavily, her heart racing, but gradually she calmed down.

“You have to understand, sometimes you have to make difficult decisions. That’s the world we live in. I couldn’t put you in danger for the sake of a few Phantoms’ lives. Securing the protection of the Befallen Crown and the ice caverns was the best option I had, and I took it.”

It was hard for Kae’ra to accept this. She had always believed that they could remain neutral, that they were proud dragons.

“Gha…”

She exhaled deeply.

“I see. I understand you, Father. The Befallen Crown, the ice caverns, and the Frost Essences, as well as the well-being of our entire clan… Looking at it that way, you’re right. You had no other choice. I was too selfish. A few Phantoms is a small price to pay for that.”

Laerdor smiled warmly.

Had they been in a different situation, he would have embraced her, but they didn’t forget where they were.

“Are you finished?”

A calm, indifferent voice rang out from above.

Laerdor and Kae’ra turned, directing their gaze toward Gladius.

“Yes.” Laerdor nodded deeply. “Sorry to keep you waiting. We admit that we killed the Phantoms at the mountain lake. We’re ready to discuss this at any time. If the Citadel has any conditions, we’re ready to hear them.”

Kae’ra took a deep step forward, pressing her palm to her chest.

“My father is right. Monsters and Phantoms are constantly at war. You can’t blame us for choosing the Befallen Crown and its resources over a few Phantoms. If those Phantoms hadn’t come here to plunder our lands, the Befallen Crown wouldn’t have come to us with a request!”

Gladius looked at them for a moment but said nothing.

“Ahem.” Laerdor coughed. “I realize this isn’t the answer you were hoping for, but right now, you won’t be able to get any more out of me. Go back to the Citadel, there’s nothing more for you to do here.”

Strange as it may seem, Gladius didn’t budge.

Instead, he shook his head.

“It seems there’s been a misunderstanding between us.”

“Agh?” Laerdor was confused.

Gladius waved his hand.

“You’ve decided that I am an envoy, that I’ve come to initiate negotiations between your clan and the Citadel. However, I’m not here to listen to your excuses or offers of compensation.”

“Wait…” Laerdor’s voice dropped. “You’re Gladius… We thought the Queen sent you here.”

Gladius nodded.

“Yeah, that’s right. But you’ve already made your decision. You chose to join the Befallen Crown, and you killed our people. That was enough for Queen Elisa to make her decision.”

Blink.

Adam blinked, listening intently.

‘So Gladius was working for the Queen? Right, that makes sense. Aiden wasn’t around back then. How did they even meet in the first place?’

A flood of questions about the past filled Adam’s mind, but he was here for another reason.

Step.

Gladius stepped forward as his eyes grew colder.

“I didn’t come here for diplomacy. Queen Elisa ordered me to resolve this issue, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Gulp.

Laerdor gulped as a shiver ran down his spine.

“What does that mean?”

Gladius lifted his chin, looking down at them. His gaze was icy, devoid of compassion or any emotion.

“In other words, my mission is to destroy your entire clan.”

It was a serious threat, but not everyone was ready to believe it.

“Hahahahahahaha!”

Suddenly, loud laughter rang out from the side. It was one of the guards standing on the northern tower.

“You must be joking! Even if the Queen herself sent you here, you’re just one Phantom!”

“Yeah! What can a single human do?”

Laerdor clenched his fists tightly.

“My warriors are right. Gladius, you’re a capable fighter, I’ve heard a lot about you, but if you repeat that threat, I’ll have to take action. It’s a sign of disrespect toward my entire clan.”

Kae’ra nodded. “Yes. There’s no point in lying so brazenly. We’ve made our position clear to you.”

Strangely enough, of all of them, only Adam could clearly see that every word Gladius spoke was true.

“Oh…” Gladius sighed. “I wasn’t lying to you. This is an order from the Queen, and as her humble servant, I have no choice but to carry it out.”

Kae’ra’s smirk widened, but before she could say anything, Gladius’s body trembled.

“Agh?”

In a blur, Gladius vanished, and in the next moment he appeared next to the guard, the monster standing at the Lord Level.

In the next moment, Gladius ripped off the guard’s head as a fountain of blood gushed out, rushing past his cold eyes.